Wrestlers’ Protest: Rakesh Tikait postpones June 9 protest after grapplers’ meet with Amit Shah

After Bajrang Punia & Sakshi Malik met with Home Minister Amit Shah regarding their demands, Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) national spokesperson Rakesh Tikait postponed the June 9 protest.

The protesting wrestlers also resumed their government duties with the Indian Railways just days before the meeting with Shah.

Tikait said that the wrestlers going back to their jobs does not signal the end of the protest, ‘All we wanted was that the government holds talks with the wrestlers and while that has begun (with the Amit Shah meeting), we are not aware of the details of the discussion.’

He further said that for the time being the June 9 protest has been called off till another date is decided by the wrestlers.

Meanwhile, a disgruntled Naresh Tikait spoke to the Times of India, ‘If the complainants themselves have decided for a compromise, what can we say?’

The BKU President added that they have no idea under what circumstances or pressure the wrestlers decided to rejoin the duties or what the details of the discussion between them and the Home Minister were. After all, it’s all about the grapplers, not about the Khaps.

The June 9 protest was scheduled to be held at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar by Khap leaders, who had issued an ultimatum to the Centre, demanding ex-Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brijbhushan Sharan Singh’s arrest.

The farmer leaders had stated that the government had until Friday to arrest Singh or else they would sit in protest with wrestlers at Jantar Mantar and also organise protests across the country.

• The wrestlers’ protest has received widespread support from farm unions.